Update 7/23/19 – This Vette Wagon project has been relisted here on eBay with a $5k price drop! Thanks go to Susan M for the tip.
From 4/22/19 – In 1973, Corvettes were starting to all look the same. A few people with the resources to modify their cars went… a little crazy – which brings us to this one-of-a-kind 1973 Corvette wagon. It needs some work, but it’s listed here on eBay out of California for $18k. Big thanks to Roger for suggesting it to us!
Originally owned and commissioned by Mike Betterton, this car’s overall design was conceived by Harry Bradley, fabbed by Dennis Ercek Enterprises in Redondo Beach, CA and the interior was done by Warren Morimoto in Torrance, CA. While it looks sort of like a kit from Chuck Miller in Dearborn, Michigan, it is allegedly completely custom. As far as I can tell, the drivetrain looks pretty much stock, except for valve covers and intake, and the custom side pipes.
Obviously, it has seen better days, but it doesn’t look like it’s too far gone. It was apparently in an accident in 1997 and was promptly put away in storage since then. Sure, the custom nose will probably need the most work, but a replacement has been partially fitted, and the Lexan rear side windows and Thunderbird tail lights are still there. The interior looks to be in decent shape, and they managed to save the custom headlight array and some of the custom rhinoplasty work. It doesn’t run or drive, and will obviously need quite a bit, but again, it doesn’t look too far-gone to me.
There is so much more to this story, and I can’t really do it justice in just this small space. I highly recommend visiting the listing and reading the details! I remember seeing the article about this car when I was young, and now to finally see it in this much disrepair is sort of disheartening. So, if you’ve read this far, please check out the photos below, since I couldn’t fit them all into the article above. What do you think of this car? Have you ever seen it in person? Let me know in the comments if you have, or if you’d take on the task of resurrecting it to its former glory.
Just let it die in dignity, as a parts car.
Oh, they go so much better than they stop. Most of the time, front end damage is the drivers fault. Looks like a neat car, regardless. Doesn’t look too bad, really, I’m surprised nobody fixed it.
Probably couldn’t afford to replace the plethora of headlights….
Why do you proclaim front end damage is the drivers fault? A year ago I got clipped at night by a drunk, from behind a snowpile, out of a grocery store parking lot in a similar way.
Just saying there’s a saying about assumptions, the first three of the word sum it up.
If you can’t stop your vehicle, and that’s clearly what happened here, and you strike someone from the rear, you are at fault. Not even Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe would tackle that one,,
Put a new front clip on it, paint, mechanical, and you’ll have a car that’s slightly different than the Eckler’s wagon conversion. But for gods sake.. put a normal front clip back on. That headlight treatment is atrocious…
Was thinking the same thing. Normal front clip, pleeeeze!
You know what I think they were emulating? Citroen SM.
I actually did see this car. It was being driven in downtown Manhattan Beach by the pier. I find this build to be oddly alluring
so many funny remarks on here sometimes, so i get one this time ,,,,,… where did the pier get a drivers license ??? lol
Looks like s future farm wagon to me. No need to tag it.
Manure spreaders don’t require a tag.
I see a overpriced plastic money pit that won’t ever let you stop feeding the Monster.
In a twisted way, I kinda like it. I think the headlight “array” is just sitting up on the front of the hood for storage and to keep them from getting lost, I bet they were mounted lower and provided an “interesting” look. Need to find a back glass too. There are plenty of stock Vette’s out there, Dare to be different, as they say!
20 grand for a wreck? Who’s kidding who?
This thing has popped up for sale a few times in the past.
Harry Bradley penned some fantastic designs, including the Alexander Brothers absolutely beautiful Dodge Deora, but I don’t think this Corvette was one of them. It appears to me that the design of this car might have been influenced by his time at Mattle, designing Hot Wheels.
Is the hatch a Gremlin or a Vega?
Looks like a Gremlin to me ; the Vega hatch had a liftgate like the Hornet hatchback
It appears to have a larger curve raduis at the top corners and a smaller radius at the bottom corners than a Gremlin hatch.
Beleive it or not I have a matchbox car like this, it’s a different color though.
19k no way more like 1900.00. What an ugly pile of s**t. But he says that restored it could be a 6 figure car. Any vette experts want to chime in.
Yeah, I can see it being a six-figure car — with a decimal point between the first four numbers and the last two.
Good buy with a BIN of $1,800!
It amazes me that people spend a lot of money to totally destroy a car without turning the key.
One of a kind? There are quite a few of these wagon conversion traps on the east coast. I assume the wagon part is what is being referred to as 1 of a kind. If it’s the array of lights and other modifications that put it on the one of a kind list, please excuse my comment.. Foot in the carb fellas!
Have done a little frame work on these cars, and what I see is a bent frame… no telling how far back.
I knew Harry very well and this machine does represent his off the wall, out of the box kind of thinking. He was one of only a few that could bring a sketch to life as he drew it. Whether or not this car is worth the asking doesn’t really matter. The fact it still exists does. Harry Bradley was one hell of a car designer and historically extremely noteworthy. You don’t have to like this car to appreciate the man behind it.
With due respect, I DON’T like this car, and if by “appreciate” you mean “wonder what the hell was wrong with,” sure; I “appreciate” it’s designer.
I’d rather have a Pacer.
I love it. But could do without the multiple headlights.
A station wagon sports car!!!
Sorry I don’t get it!!!!
I seem to remember that the first one of these came about as an answer for a rock drummer that wanted to carry his drum kit in his Vette.
https://www.carthrottle.com/post/wve5636/
Yup.Drummer.
That certainly is one of a kind! Thank you Lord.
Buy it, restore it and run it thru Barrett Jackson and make a million! I like it by the way, plenty of plain old Corvettes out there and like it or not, just one of these.
From the pile of parts, it felt vaguely Citroen SM-ish… but in seeing it together, it ended up more Cylon than Citroen-ish.
At least there is only one…so there’s that.
Thank God
Someone defiantly rode this horse hard and put it away wet
Period correct,Im 66 so I remember the customize craze.I like it naturally & the 4 Spd is a plus.Bringing it back to its former glory will cost a mint,ya gota have really deep pockets or Jay Leno.
The “novel” about Bradley in the listing is more interesting than the car.
People saying the guy can’t drive? Looks to me with the bent back bumper he just might have been shoved into whatever was ahead. Headlights? ….no slab stuff on a flowing design.
Hmmm, let’s just cover this one back up and forget we saw it.
Well the driver certainly has NO excuse for not being able to see whatever he hit!
73 smog era vette- junk. Add atrocious wagon back. You can make chicken salad out of chicken $hit, but its hard to get the taste right. Sorry for the negativity but this was a zero before anything. Good luck!!
Cheers
GPC
“Because I’m Batman!”
It would be nice to get to the new comments first.
Well, everyone can relax as the car appears to have sold for $18k. Yeah, maybe ‘73 C3 wasn’t the best but for those residing in California it’s like a blank canvas in terms of engine mods as it remains smog exempt. Plus it’s a manual. I happen to like the “bread van” styling. Personally I’d return front end to stock and paint it different color. Hope to learn the future fate of this Vette…
It is still available with a BIN of $13,495. It looks like it was Sold for 18K during the original auction, but the buyer must have smartened up and backed out.
This is a link that takes you directly to the current listing:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/113773377002?ViewItem=&vxp=mtr&item=113773377002
I believe the front end committed suicide out of shame. The Homer Simponish head light pack is comical.
The owner was not going quite fast enough to destroy the evidence of a huge mistake he or she made when having this thing made. Hopefully no injuries but a little bump on the head may help in future decisions.
Hideous!
Well, you did it again. This is my 3rd Barn Finds car. I purchased this Harry Bradley Corvette hatchback back in March and have mostly completed the mechanical restoration. I’m currently working on the fiberglass repairs.
My ’78 Ford Fiesta IMSA Tribute car was featured in 2021 and my ASC McLaren was just listed a few weeks ago.
https://barnfinds.com/imsa-tribute-1978-ford-fiesta-track-car/
https://barnfinds.com/rare-convertible-1985-capri-asc-mclaren/